Etsy Tips

Continuing on the theme of Success on Etsy, I have included a helpful post by Sisterjinx. She had previously posted a question, asking the forum, "Etsy Tips ...What did you learn this week?" She then compiled all the information into the following post. It contains several great links to other sites, as well as a few useful forum threads.

sisterjinx says:

I posted this the other day and so many have gotten so much from it and added so much to it that I wanted to try and put it up all in one easy to find post. OK so I have learned SO much from everybody here on Etsy that I wanted to share some of it back to those who might want to know.

Majaba is your friend...I love keeping Majaba open while posting in the forums, listing new items, and I even leave it open when I'm taking a break to check when I get back. You can find Majaba here http://www.majaba.org/heartomatic.php

The etsy fee calculator is a great tool too. I love checking to see how much I would actually make from an item if I list is for $x or $x. that is here http://etsy.ppcalc.com/

Poster Sketch is a great tool for preparing for treasuries but also to see if your first photo of an item will work well in treasury. I've used it several times to switch photos around in my own shop so that things are treasury readythat is here http://www.etsy.com/poster_sketch.php

Recently I learned about the top seller's list. I think that is great because I can look at their shops and policies and profiles and see what is attractive about their shops that I might be able to incorporate into mine, with my own style of course. http://etsywiki.com/index.php?title=Top_Sellers_-_Handmade

I learned how to refund on paypal as opposed to sending the money back. I guess it saves you on fees. Here's the thread: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5715352

Site that keeps track of known scammers: http://www.xmission.com/~daina/known_scammers.html

There is a site.., where it shows the percentage of etsyians per country..here it is! :)http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/etsy.com

The top of this thread discusses the best days to post items http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5714216 also if you use majaba, keep it open while listing, it helps to determine. I did this for a few days and for me it was about 3 - 5 pm CST which is 4 - 6 EST (etsy time)

You CAN pay Etsy with paypal.Here's the thread that gives instructions http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5649510

A thread with a GREAT tutorial on how to make a treasury. For any of those who
have been trying to get one and not getting one you might want to have a peek. http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5531944

Link popularity check is one of the best ways to quantifiable and independently
measure your website's online awareness and overall visibility. Simply put, link
popularity refers to the total number of links or "votes" that a search engine
has found for your website. check. and find out who is linking to your site. http://tools.marketleap.com/publinkpop/

Hope you find this helpful...

Success on Etsy

I've been doing some research on how to be successful on Etsy and of course there is a lot of conflicting information out there. I thought as I sorted through it all I would highlight some of the sites for your review as well.

There is one common theme that I found as browsed through the various sites and information and I think it's important to note that Etsy is just one avenue toward your Success.

That said, let's begin...
I want to start with a link that I found on Etsy Wiki. This is a great article by Ms. Dynomite, (http://dyno.etsy.com), "Ms. Dynomite's Formula for Selling on Etsy" and here is the link: http://www.etsywiki.com/index.php?title=Ms._Dynomite%27s_Formula_for_Selling_on_Etsy

What I liked best about this article is that she has a no nonsense introduction:

"Yes, selling on Etsy can be difficult...It takes a lot of time and energy to have frequent sales on Etsy. Success on Etsy does not just happen. It requires an investment of time and learning new skills."

In summary, Ms. Dynomite's outlines 7 fundamentals for selling on Etsy which include:

1. Have a well fleshed out store
   part 1: fill out all fields
   part 2: Consider posting store policies.
   part 3: Be thorough and personal in your descriptions.
2. List frequently (not all at once)
3. Post in the right category
4. Use your tags (you have up to 13)
5. GOOD PHOTOS, GOOD THUMBNAILS
6. Have a unique and quality product
7. PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE
   

As she breaks down the 7 tips, she also includes several links throughout the article to support her tips. You should also check out her Recommended Reading: http://www.etsywiki.com/index.php?title=Ms._Dynomite%27s_Recommended_Reading

Why Haven't I Sold Anything - which will provide you with additional information regarding Selling tips, advertising, promotion, newbie tips and links from the Etsy forums...http://www.etsywiki.com/index.php?title=WHY_HAVEN%27T_I_SOLD_ANYTHING%3F

Free Places to Advertise - http://www.etsy.com/forums_topic.php?thread_id=4505&page_id=9